Well guys it's been a long time since I last wrote something on this board, most likely because I haven't had much to say, but mostly to do with recent computer/internet problems (...ha recent I wish). Not only did I get fucked by my past internet ISP, but my computer also decided I was an incompetent user ... how u like that! In fact I think I created a modern day Frankenstein's monster, far be it for me to fuck with nature, but technologies is a whole other bag of tricks. Anyway whatever is to be said about that will be posted on another section of the board later in the week... u can be sure of that or not! It's great to be back, I've miss this board a lot, I also have missed replying to your post, something I will do more of in the days to come !

As u can see from the title Fantasia is back in it's second week, showcasing some of the best films the world of genre cinema has to offer, and since I was there from the start I'm here to tell u what I've seen so far. Maybe even give u a few ideas on what films u might like to see in the future, however make sure that u do your own research as my reviews are based on my own taste, although I assure u that I only pick the best films!

All Fantasia festival film reviews, trailers, pictures, guests, and news can be found at www.fantasiafest.com

I guess I'll start with the first week of Fantasia which started the 10th of this month with...

July 10th, 2001

FINAL FANTASYI'll come right out and say it, this film sucked! Although I like some of the computer animation, the faces and hair being the most incredible and realistic ever seen in a film of this nature, the story of the film is non existent! Well there is a story but it didn't interest me at all. Nuf said! As Fantasia’s first film it was a disappointment.

July 11th, 2001

ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINAI’m sure most u have seen this Jet Li/Tsui Hark co-production about the turn of the 20th century china, when there was a great deal of foreign trade and treaties being signed. It being my first time seeing this film I was glad to see the blending of cultures as a catalyst for some great fight scene. Hmm.... lets see western guns against the Cantonese martial-arts of Jet Li, who wins in the end, I think u already know the answer! Some of the highlights include an man who’s body can withstand the slash of metal swords, a great ladder and tea bag fight scene (the best scene in the movie), and a hand propelled bullet. The film also has a good deal of comedy and maintains a more complex storyline then most films of this nature! All in all one of the best films of the festival, and a must see if u haven’t already!

Note: there is a new DVD out for this one with a shitload of features, so make sure u get it if u plan on buying this film. P.S. – When I say shitload it means for a Kung Fu movie, because most Kung Fu movies rarely ever have any special features.

SWORDSMAN 2Another Jet Li film, is less a Swordsman movie then a totally freak out fantasy action film. Like Once upon a Time in China it has some great fight scenes, most of which are out of this world in scope. While also being funny the story is about a swordsman (Jet Li) who’s task is to find a sacred parchment which let the possessor become invincible to his enemies. A long the way we get to see fights that included snakes falling from the sky, a horse being sliced in half, giant ninja stars used as flying skateboards, and cool air and ground fights. Although a little kooky at times this film gives u the goods in handfuls!

July 12th, 2001

ESCAFLOWNE: A GIRL IN GAIAThis is a japanimation film about two brothers, one who will be king (Van) and one that wants to become king at all costs (Dilandeau), even if it means his brothers death. Each has his squad of warriors to fight for him, however things have been at a standstill until one day holy giant armor (Escaflowne) is found by Van’s army. Unfortunately Dilandeau’s army has holy armor of their own, and has started his attack on Van. In the middle of all this is a girl from earth that holds the key to the true power of Escaflowne must find a way to return magical world Gaia to it’s past greatness.

As I never saw the TV series of this cartoon, I can’t tell u how it compares, but I can tell u that it is very good. It has a good mixture of everything including some laughs.

DIE BADThis film is another great film the festival had to offer. It runs in four different styled episodes that are all part of the same main story. The first episode takes place at a pool hall where two groups of students end up fighting after a few harsh words are said, it ends with one of the students dying and another Sung-Bin going to jail for his murder. The second episode takes place 7 years later and follows the student after his jail sentence is finished. Racked by dreams of the past murder he tries to make a new life for himself, yet things aren’t as easy as he would’ve like them to be as family and social pressure push him toward a life of crime. The third episode makes fun of shows like COPS, and does a good job of it as it follows Sung-Bin’s past friend - now a cop - Suk-Hwan as he explains his ideology to the camera. On the other side of the coin Sung-Bin’s new crime boss explains the subtleties of being a full time criminal. The episode ends with a very funny fight scene between the two, with their interviews inter cut. In the fourth episode things come to a head when Suk-Hwan brother quits school , and signs up with Sung-Bin for a life of crime. After Suk-Hwan finds out what his brother has been up to he tracks down Sung-Bin to get him to leave his brother alone, unfortunately things don’t end well for everyone involved.

What I put up here is just the bare bones of the story, the film has more to offer. Being one of the best films of the festival so far, I definitely would consider buying on DVD if it ever came out!

July 13th, 2001

ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 2Much of the same goes on here as it did in #1, however the fights scenes are more out there. Highlights include a tower of tables match (u have to see this one to believe it really), and a wet towel match in which the hardened towel in question breaks through concrete walls! Other then that the film continues the storyline from the first one.

ST. JOHN WORTA video game company is making a new horror title, luckily for them one of the girls (Nami) in the group has just gotten an old scary mansion that her long lost father gave her in his will. Nami and her ex-boyfriend and fellow programer Kohei think they should use the mansion as a backdrop for the game. As they begin filming the mansion and sending the information back to the lab, they being to realize that not only was Nami father a mad painter, but also that things are aren’t what they seem, as the mansion holds many secrets.

An average horror entry that uses new technologies to color tint the film, so as to make it look like a game. A few good scenes, but nothing to write home about!

RIPPER: LETTERS FROM HELLMolly Keller a past survivor of a modern day Jake the Ripper enrolls in a university course in serial killer psychology, however as one of the girls in her study group get murder and then another it becomes clear that Jack is back. Also fearful for their own lives her study group comes together to find the kill as the death toll rises. Yet what noone knows is the killer might be closer then they think!

A far better film then most films of this nature are, stereotypes are filled out nicely by all the actors. With enough twist and turns to keep u interested, this is slasher old school with a modern edge. Still this is not what I would call a great movie, but at least its better then average!

QUINTRON: Live PerformanceDue to the death of a friend Mr. Quintron (The one man show), Miss Pussycat (puppeteer extraordinary), and Bob Global (The Wiz) couldn’t make it so the show was canceled and replaced by a second showing of Cannibal Holocaust. Although Mr. Quintron couldn’t make it the great programers at Fantasia still showed the Drum Buddy Infomercial which was beyond cool. Hosted by the king of bad infomercial Bob Global, watching this guy is like seeing some weird character from the 1950's come to life. Just looking at his face made me laugh, not only that watching him dance and talk is also something to behold, the king of infomercial’s for sure!

Going back to Mr. Quintron and his Drum Buddy! Drum Buddy is Mr. Quintrons new invention in music backwardness, it consist of a wooden box made of nobs and switches with a tin can and a light bulb in the middle. It make music using beams of light that come from tubes on the outside of the tin can, and works in the same way as a DJ gets the sound from a record player, in other words by moving the tin can back and forth. As Mr. Quintron demonstrates what the Drum Buddy can do, which isn’t much, but as always the audience is amazed! Inter-cut between the demonstrations comes the funniest testimonials you’ve ever seen, as well as a note of the Brum Buddy’s price a very funny $999.99! More highlights included special performances by Ernie K-Doe and MC Trachiotomy!

The funniest thing about the infomercial is that it’s 100% real, in fact u can buy a Drum Buddy for yourselves for the great price of $999.99! I read that Mr. Quintron has already sold 20 Drum Buddy’s, that means there are only 80 Drum Buddy’s left so make your move fast! Buy yours at www.drumbuddy.com now!

CANNIBAL HOLOCAUSTWhat more can I say about this film other then it was great to see it on the big screen! 35MM Print!

July 14th, 2001

DOUBLE TAPDouble Tap is the story of a gun expert (Rick) that finds out after shooting someone for the first time he likes it, and three years later makes it his new sport. Famous for the double tap shot (shooting twice in the same spot) Rick is the main suspect in case, as he should be, but due to not enough evidence the cops must let him go. Still mad that his girlfriend is in jail because his guns were found at her house, he makes up his mind to kill one cop a day until the cops let her out! As things come to a climax in a big shoot out at a mall Rick is forced into a showdown with a cop who’s friend Rick had killed the day before. Who will have the fastest trigger finger?

A good film, one of the better films about people like Rick, although don’t expect it to be another Dr. Lamb! I thought the acting was very good and the script had a nice feel to it, more a drama then a serial killer film!

THE FOUL KINGThis is a Wrestling film from the same director that did The Quiet Family, and much like The Quiet Family this is a great comedy film! Dae-Ho is a bank teller that always comes to work late, as many workers do, but in his case coming late means he’s in for a headlock from his boss! What funny is that this happens everyday, and Dae-Ho is unable to stop it. Until one day he finds an add that says “wrestler wanted” on the door of a local gym, with dreams of getting back at his boss for the daily head locks Dae-Ho signs up for the job. He soon finds out that his gym coach is the great Foul King master of tricks and utensils, with his role model now set he comes to the ring with his own tools of the trade. He becomes very skillful and wants to prove himself to others, but unfortunately in his first live tv match he must lose to the champ! However he has different plans, which has some very funny results.

Not the best review by far, but this film is one of the funniest films I saw at the festival, so if u like Asian comedy at it’s best this is it!

GHOST WORLDBased on the comic book (by Daniel Clowes of Eightball fame) of the same name this movie is a great comedy about the worlds strangest people, however in the end we find out that they’re just normal. Directed by Terry Zwigoff this film is cleverly hysterical comedy about life after high school. Although I have never read any of Clowes comics, I know of his work, and can tell u that this film has the same tone as his comic books. In other words this is a good film.

Well that’s the end of the first week of films, I’ll be back with more reviews a soon as I have the time! Sorry some of the reviews are a little weak, however if u’d like to know more about a film just ask! Anyway I’ll be posting again soon, so see u on the board!

PS-Some of the Highlights of the Festival that I haven’t reviewed yet include two new films by Takashi Miike, three films of Coffin Joe hosted by Jose Mojica Marins himself, and Citizen Toxie hosted by Lloyd Kaufman and Heidi Sjursen!

Those reviews were pretty good. Too bad there aren't any such festivals around where I live. I for one was very wary of paying to see FINAL FANTASY. I may just wait to see that one when it comes out on video this fall. Is that GHOST WORLD you are referring to the same one with Thora Birch? If so, that one did sound promising based on what little I read about it. But as I recall it has a limited release, so it may not even come to theaters here. Oh well, looks like another future video rental for me BTW, welcome back.

"I have existed from the morning of the world and I shall exist until the last star falls from the heavens. Although I have taken the form of Gaius Caligula, I am all men as I am no man and so... I am a God." - Malcolm McDowell, CALIGULA
------------------

If you did not see the first one,you missed a critical plot element. The evil bad-guy emasculates himself,in order to gain the ultimate power-(?)-and becomes Brigitte Lin!Great action flick,easily one of my 4 or 5 favorite HK films.

FINAL FANTASY:THE SPIRITS WITHIN was produced by the video game company Square,who has a highly sucessfull line of Final Fantasy RPGs,dating all the way back to the first Nintendo system. I'm a fan of this RPG series,but I know the movie is nothing more than an expessive gimmick,to try to get more people into their line of products...I'll wait for it to come out on video.

The version of Ghost World I saw did star Thora Birch and also Steve Buscemi! One must also take note that the director of this film wrote the script with Daniel Clowes the creator of the Ghost World comic book, so it’s very close to the comic book, but Clowes decided to change the story a bit for the big screen! Terry Zwigoff the director is also a well known comic figure as he is a friend of Robert Crumb the comic legend! Not only does Zwigoff know Crumb, but he also made a great documentary film on him called CRUMB! If u haven’t see this documentary u must go out and get it at all costs, it’s one of the best I’ve seen in a long time! It will blow your mind, and if your big on comics it should show u a good portion of it’s history.

If u go to the video store one day and find Ghost World and Final Fantasy, and only have the money to buy one buy Ghost World!

–To T.Luster

Thanks for the info about Swordsman 1, I will rent it as soon as possible! I’d also have to say that it’s one of my top HK films. I’d really like to see how ‘Asia the invincible’ becomes a woman!

As for Final Fantasy, I have played some of the games over the years and have always fallen victim to using the super kick too much and dying as a result Anyway funny thing about the film is that they use Ben Afflack’s face for the Alec Baldwin character's in the film, however I don’t see why Alec Baldwin’s face own face wasn't used, it looks ok to me! I wonder if Baldwin was pissed about that! Anyways there are a few laughs in the film provided by Steve Buscemi thank god!

Like I said my reviews are based on my own taste in film, so I might be wrong about this film!

By far the biggest disappointment was Olaf Ittenbach's Legion of The Dead. The audience was actually turning on him,during the Q&A session, afterwards. Ittenbach even remarked badly to one rather condescending question;"Was the bad acting intentional?"With a charming "Fuck You!" The film was plotless,pointless, and badly edited. Some good gore effects though. Citizen Toxie was great as far as Troma movies go.

------------------Wherever you go,there you are.

"I don't want to be called an "artist." "Acting like an "artist" is synonymous to acting like an asshole."

Another year goes by with yet another Fantasia that I have to miss... Fuck! This is the closest film festival to me that is actually worth shelling out to see. The 5 hour drive is even worth it!

Couple of comments on the stuff that's been mentioned:

Final Fantasy -- Ack! No way am I paying for this movie. I had a friend who is notorious in our circle for his genuine love of awful movies (he could not shut up about Fast and the Furious) raved and raved about FF which immediately flags this one as miserable. He's allegedly hooking me up with a VCD of it in the next couple of weeks. I want to see it for the CGI, but I don't want to have to pay for it.

Once Upon A Time In China -- I'm really not a big Jet Li fan and I really dislike Tsui Hark movies for the sole reason that they are so weird but I actually enjoyed this one a lot. For some reason, no matter what scenario you put Wong Fei Hung in, I love his movies. The first two are great, all that followed (with the exception of China and America) sucked cock.

Swordsman 2 -- A lot of people tout this as the best Jet Li movie ever. I don't know. I thought it was way too wacky.

Die Bad -- had been hearing about this one for a while. Sounds pretty cool. I'll have to keep my eyes open for it.

Cannibal Holocaust -- Was this the new Grindhouse cut? If so, curses! foiled again! I almost made the drive to Jersey to see the premier but I couldn't get out of work early enough to get there in time for the showing. I'll have to buy the DVD when it becomes available.

Ghost World -- Cannot wait to see this. I have every issue of Eightball and the Ghostworld shorts were some of my favorites. Happy to hear Buscemi got a role in it. I'd like to see someone make a feature based on Like a Velvet Glove Cast In Iron... directed by Lynch (preferably).

Legion of the Dead -- I'm not big on Ittenbach movies. I've seen most of them and the only one I liked remotely was Permutos (maybe because it's in german and I can't tell if it's plagued with the signature Ittenbach shitty acting). His gore is always top notch but I just can't stand the movies themselves. The Burning Moon reminded me of something I wrote when I was in 5th grade.

One of yous guys has got to let me know how Dead Or Alive 2 and Versus turn out. These are two I'm really looking forward to.

Hahaha ... yes “FUCK YOU” I remember that one, I was there at the Q&A as well! Man I really do feel sorry for Olaf Ittenbach, no one should be treated like that by anyone, even if the film sucked, which it did! Your comments on the film are very true, and I guess all u can say about the film is that it just is or ‘is’--it a work in progress! I can tell u he won’t be coming back to Fantasia again, that is for sure!

I’m afraid that the audiences here in Montreal can be real dickheads! It seems that they have no respect for anyone but themselves! Q&A sessions are the worst, although I’m being a little harsh! One thing that really pissed me off was the lack of good questions Lloyd Kaufman got for Citizen Toxie. Two times during the Q&A Lloyd ask for some intelligent questions, and as a result the questions got stupider! Thank god for the few good ones, even though by the end Lloyd seemed depressed. Maybe it didn’t show, but I could tell. It really makes me feel bad that he chose Fantasia to award as best Festival this year! However I hope I’m wrong about everything, I really do!

Anyways it would be really cool if u could post your review of the films u watched at Fantasia up here, as I’m sure we don’t have the same taste in film! It would be nice to know what another person thought of Jeepers Creepers, which I thought was very bad!

If your still in Montreal I will be viewing JSA: Joint Security Area and Wild Zero tomorrow and Session 9 the last day of the festival so it would be nice to see u there! Since u don’t know what I look like I have black or brown almost shoulder length hair and a mustache, I’m 6'2, and look Greek. If in the lobby I should be standing next to the playstation console on the far right next to the stairs against the wall! If I’m inside the Cinema I should be seated to the extreme right on the third row down from the top! I always sit at the last seat touching the right walkway! My real name is Angelo, so ask me that and I should know that it’s u!

--To Latte Thunder

Sorry to hear u couldn’t make it, it would’ve been nice to see u there!

Once Upon a Time in China, Tsui Hark at his best!

Thank god your friend there is a good shit indicator, because Final Fantasy really does suck!

Like I said in my review Swordsman 2 can be very kooky at times, your right about that, however not as kooky as Tsui Hark’s other films although he didn’t make this one!

Die Bad’s ending is something to see it’s really cool, however it doesn’t really goes with the rest of the movie. Still one of the better films of the festival!

Yup Cannibal Holocaust is the new Grindhouse cut! A very nice and clear print as always!

I need to get me some copies of the Eightball comic book, I’ve heard so much about it. I’ve been away from the comic store for such a long time, maybe I should pass by and pick up an Eightball graphic novel. As I believe the comic books have gone up in price, where is a Wizard magazine when u need one? Anyway Steve Buscemi was great in this movie as well as every one involved.

I should buy the comic just to read Like a Velvet Glove Cast In Iron, as I really would like to see how it relates to David Lynch (one of my favorite directors).

As for Ittenbach I’m sorry to say that he does write like a 5th grader, and the acting does suck, and since I’m not saying it to his face that’s ok! Lets just leave it at that.

As for Dead or Alive 2: Birds, one of best movies of the festival as well as the other Takashi Miike film that I saw Visitor Q. Both these films are going into my DVD collection for sure, no matter what the price! Miike’s always good, although I didn't like the first Dead or Alive that much I'm going to give it another try! I will post my review on both films as soon as possible!

Damn! They're playing Wild Zero on a big screen!?!? I have to organize something around here to screen it at midnight just so I can see it on something bigger than my television.

let me know how Session 9 turns out. It was shot around here at a closed psychiatric hospital in Danvers. They used to house criminals there too. It's a bit of a local legend and has some folklore surrounding it. I've also the seen the trailer for it and it looks like a pretty decent movie.

After reading the posts about Wild Zero a while ago I was grateful that I didn’t have to buy it on video to see it, as it would appear in the festival. So I’ve seen it and will be posting a review of it here soon! Not one of my favs of the festival, but still a good movie!

Man I really hope u get Wild Zero screened near u, as a bigger screen is always better! So good luck u’ll need it!

Session 9 will be showing today, so I’ll get back to u around 1am later tonight with a small review! I too thought the trailer was cool, but trailers never are what they seem! It’s cool that u live near the hospital! This film has an that old type horror plot, so lets hope they can do something different with it>

As for Versus, it wasn’t show at this years Fantasia film festival, although that Asian movie site u go to might be right about it being one of the movies that might’ve been show at the festival. However I guess one Zombie film was enough for the Fantasia programers, so they decided just to keep Wild Zero in the line up and leave Versus out

Before a couple reviews,my opinion of the fest. A lot of harsh things were said on the Mobius home video forum by Don May Jr about Fantasia film goers being inconsiderate idiots. SOME were. NOT all. I heard him and annoying fat ass Moriarity(from ain't it cool.com)talk trash about noisy people,over some pretty loud music. They weren't exactly quiet. Like I said some were,but they're not indicative of the whole fest. Too bad,a few assholes made the worst impression on some people.The fest itself was VERY well organized. More so than much bigger fests.I actually met a few niece people there.

Met some friendly people at the alternative/goth/industrial bar, Le Foufounes Electriques as well. Which was cooler than I remembered. Too bad about Ittenbach getting mercilessly skewered,but a lot of people were looking forward to his film. During the video/film Die Alive one guy even yelled out,Don't quit you're day job! Pretty mean,but who said Fantasiagoers are delecate Cinephiles?

Jeepers Creepers

It started out well. With a brother and sister driving home encountering some sort of demon behind the wheels of a rusty souped up truck. The demon takes a liking to the brother for some reason. A predictable one,check out the title song. After a couple fairly creepy moments,this one peters out to a very disappointing conclusion. Too bad,it had a bit of potential. But not much.

Wendigo

A horror drama, about a part deer,part wood,part man ghost that lives in the woods and fests on souls. Some good characterizations,of the nuclear family that ventures up north, and hits a deer, enroute to a cabin. One of the hunters tracking it is none to pleased. Since one of the deer's antler's is cracked. This sets off a chain of events, with the hunter seeking revenge,and the aforementioned Wendigo. It was slow moving and a little tedious at times. Well acted and with some good photography.But it too was marred by a mediocre ending.

------------------Wherever you go,there you are.

[This message has been edited by ROBERT (edited 07-31-2001).]

"I don't want to be called an "artist." "Acting like an "artist" is synonymous to acting like an asshole."

Your right I shouldn’t take it out on the Fantasia crowd, as they were great for most of the festival! While I never heard Don May Jr. saying anything bad about the festival as I don’t sit next to him in the cinema, what I do know is when he’s here he drinks a lot of beer and gets drunk sometimes, and as we know when u get drunk u get pissed! So I think his comments on the fest heavy handed on his part due to the beer! However sometimes the comments are true, still he shouldn’t complain as he didn’t pay for his festival pass, yet being a guest he has extra rights.

I haven’t read his Mobius posts, however I’m starting to read them now as I’d like to know what he said, and what went on after the show!

It’s great that u like your stay over here in Montreal, I hope next year we can meet each other and share a beer or two together. I hope next year will be the year that people on this board decide to come up and watch a few movies with me! Anyway I’m glad u shared your reviews with us, and I hope u can do the same next year!

To Latte Thunder

Since Session 9 was the last film of the festival I will be posting my review right now, so here it is!

SESSION 9Plot is simple, a contract worker and his four men take a job to clean up an old run down insane asylum, as they only have one week to clear the huge place out it becomes evident that the tension between the men, the deadline, and the secrets of the hospitals past will set the tone for something unexpected to happen!

Seeing a birds eye view of the hospital is really creepy as we realize how huge and strangely shaped it is, a great place to make a horror film as each room inside has a different tone and atmosphere. As the film start and we are introduced to the characters we fall into lives without any effort, as the acting is done very well. And in the end the acting is the saving grace of the feature, however disappointed I was with the ending, the act was performed well! Even though there is little back story for the characters, they quickly became very real to believe as co-workers and friends as well as enemies.

Apart from the acting the film is well shot, and keeps the tension high between the characters, as well as having some nice horrific images and lighting. The sound and the music is great as well adding extra texture to the atmosphere. The beginning of the film scores highs points for putting all these elements that I have just put forth together very well, if it hade continued like this it would have been a classic, and one of the best horror films I’ve seen in at least 20 years! This is a big statement for me as nothing has really scared me since I ast saw the Ring.

Anyway I was so impressed with the first part of the film that I was already thinking ahead to how cool the ending would be if the tone of the file had been maintained, however it was not! The slower pace that was established at the beginning of the film had turned into a rapid badly done ending. As all the fragments of the story come together too fast and it isn’t at all believable! Although I believe the director had a good idea to start with and tried to keep it until the end, it didn’t come through for me. Still some people my like it, so I’d say watch this film just for the beginning and if u like the end get back to me and tell me why?

I think it will one of the better horror films of the year, so if u have anything to watch and want to go to the cinema, this is a good a film as any to see, although for me because of the ending I have to give it an average rating!

I’m think of writing a new ending for this film myself for fun as I think it could have been done better if I wrote it! However this is a big task, and I have to wait for enough people over here to see it before I can post it. I also have to find the script for this movie as I already forgot the names of the characters!

Well there u have it Latte a review of Session 9, like I said. Oh the film has some resemblances to The Shining!

Don May doesn't bad mouth the Festival,itself. He just dwells(too long,too hard)on the few shit disturbers there were. In fact his last few posts(on Mobius) don't say much of anything positive or really negative about the fest itself,just his boring encounters with drinking and fighting. If this is all he can say,he should stay home,next time. And if he received a free pass,he should shut the fuck up!

------------------Wherever you go,there you are.

"I don't want to be called an "artist." "Acting like an "artist" is synonymous to acting like an asshole."

Well enough about Don May jr. lol I should be posting new reviews on the festival in one or two days from now, so if anyone else has been to Fantasia please posts your reviews or anything else u have to say here!

The is where the festival gets interesting so be back here in a two days or less!

Interestinf bit about the Session 9 hospital. If you are an H.P. Lovecraft fan you ought to get a kick out of this. Lovecraft used the older portion of the hospital (the one that can be seen through the trees from the highway) as the model for Arkham Asylum, which Grant Morrison later used in his Batman: Arkham Asylum graphic novel (one of the best Batmans ever!).

I have a friend who broke into that place. He told me some horror stories about it.

Yup I love H.P. Lovecraft, he's one of the best horror writers out there, to bad the Old Ones got him lol! So your Batman fan too, Grant Morrison kickes ass, however for some reason I never picked up Arkham Asylum. I like Batman: the Darkknight Returns and Batman: the Killing Joke, those and a few others. The money that I spent on comic books, now goes to buying DVD's! In other words I have stopped collecting comic books! Hope your friends ok, and thanks for the info!